This morning, probably in the rain as the storm clouds move in, Paul Young will be laid in his final resting place at the Riverside National Cemetery. Paul served in the United States Army during the seventies as a medic in Korea. For his service for this country he will rest with other veterans.
After the Army Paul worked for a printer for over thirty years, and then about the time he finally left the print shop, he opened his Online bookstore, Prying1Books. He worked part-time at another print shop, just to make sure ends were met.
I met Paul as a blogger in 2006. His Prying1 site looked at the world of politics from a conservative point of view, but also kept his Christian beliefs intertwined in the writing. He and I commented on each other's site daily, and once we realized that both of us were in Southern California, we called each other to talk about local issues, as well as spiritual ones. A year later, when he traveled with a choir to perform in the Handel's Messiah presentation at a local Temecula church, we met for the first time.
After the concert Paul and I, with our wives, became personally acquainted in the parking lot of the church. To our wives' horror, we both have the gift of gab. Cars began to leave, the number of cookies on the snack table dwindled, and eventually all that was left in the parking lot, save for a few cold souls, was Paul and I (and our wives) chatting about the political winds, and how as Christians that affected us.
Finally, one of the wives could not take much more of it, and we departed, until the next year's concert.
The friendship between Paul and I blossomed. He supported my efforts to educate the public about the Constitution, and helped me any way he could. He called into my radio show to comment, and when I moved to AM Radio he became a part of the program for 18 months, calling in after the first segment to offer a "Book of the Week" at a great price, and then offer another book for free to the person that could answer correctly a question off of one of the game cards from the Constitution Quest board game.
Paul and I spoke daily on the phone, he attended all of my public speaking events that were within a reasonable drive for him - in other words, somewhere near Inglewood - and over the last year, once a month, he and his wife attended Pastor Barry's Sunday Evening Service in Temecula, of which I attended on occasion as well.
Of course, each of these times we talked excitedly about whatever the event was we were meeting at, as well as engaging in a political conversation that usually left those around us scratching their heads.
Paul's friendship to me went deeper than just friendship, however. He ministered to me. When I needed to talk to a fellow Christian about what bothered me, or about wonderful news, he was always there. Sometimes, when something amazing happened, I would call him and say, "I am just calling you to tell you how awesome God is."
He replied, "I know God is awesome, but I will listen to your example, anyway."
With a witty sense of humor, Paul kept every conversation interesting. Sometimes, when we joked, only I seemed to understand his sense of humor. Others weren't sure what to think about our silly humor. . . such as our joke with each other where each of us would demand, "No, I am more humble than thou."
I was a Pall Bearer at the funeral service on Saturday, and I know he would have laughed over that, too, for I was also a Paul Bearer.
Yesterday, I thought about him all day. I watched my phone, but it never rang. His conversations were a part of my daily routine, and now my phone sits silent. I miss him. I miss his fellowship. I suppose it is a selfish grieving, because I know where he is at and that place is Heaven. I know he is singing with the angels with that wonderful, deep, bass voice, shaking hands with everyone he meets, with that smile of his, and that silly sense of humor.
I miss him, but I am happy for him - because he is home.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
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